Tonight was my first night on my actual shift at Bronson--2:45-11:15. I had orientation during the day on Monday and Tuesday. It was rather boring. I finished the week out on first shift, which was from 8:00-4:30pm. I really didn't have to answer the phone for tech calls because we're just back up for the Help Desk during that time. However tonight, the fun began. Honestly it was fun too. The two service calls that I went out for were actually quite ridiculous, but they were fun nevertheless.

One of the problems was a printer problem.
Of course there was absolutely nothing wrong with the printer. The problem was in the application that they were running. Neither of the yahoos could tell me how to bring up the print queue in the application... they told me that they never looked at it and that things just printed when they were supposed to. Of course, this is a hospital application... I have absolutely *NO* idea how to use it. (Although I don't feel so bad as the guys that are using it don't know how to either.)
This call was a real learning experience for me.
Number one, get all of the information before leaving the Data Center. See, the Data Center is in the old hospital, and all of the tech calls usually are in the New Hospital. Which means, I've got to take at least a half mile hike over to the new hospital... so, not having all of the information before heading out means, trekking back to the Data Center, looking up the extention of the Department, etc., etc.

Needlesstosay, I made a couple of these errors this evening, I think I got at least 4 miles in tonight. =)

The other thing I learned... how to use a Nextel phone. I don't personally have one... (yet... As I'm getting one, provided by Bronson. I hate Nextels!)
It's not rocket-science or anything, but as the thing chirped away at me, I hung up on my co-workers three times.
Of course, they were calling me to tell me not to bother going back to Radiology... the application had been reset by another tech, and the yahoos were getting their reports spewing out of their printer.

The second tech call that I made was exactly the kind of call my supervisor, Ray, said would the norm.
The nurses in the charge office had their floors cleaned so maintence removed everything had been unplugged and put back incorrectly, supposedly.
When I got there. The only thing that was keeping these computers from not operating properly was that they were not turned on.
*laughs*
I'm sure that I will eventually get some challenging calls, but if this is the norm... my job really is a cakewalk like Brian said.

In more fun news, I went the opening party for Dan's moped shop--1977 Mopeds. He showed me a catalog of performance parts which got me drooling.
My Vespa is going in on Tuesday for some upgrades. *yipppeee!!*

I thought this was America... free speech for everyone, right?

WRONG.

Setting: The Academy Awards.

Steve Martin can make sexist and slightly homo-phobic/erotic remarks and jokes... no one bats an eye. He's a the host, and a comedian so, he's allowed to take things to levels that some would find to be in bad taste. (I certainly did. Most of his banter was pathetic.)

The guys who won for best sound get to prattle on about how their wives really helped them through the hardships of sound effects for Lilo and Stitch.

Michael Moore, a man who's known for his mouth, his strong opinons, and by far a funnier man than Steve Martin anyday--gets boo-ed for not falling in line with Bush. For once, the Academy gets it right, and Hollywood, gets it all wrong.